Olympics: 'Black day' for Indian sports as IOC drops wrestling

Sushil Kumar said it was a 'black day' for the sport at a time when Indian wrestlers were doing good at international events. (TOI Photo)

Page 1 of 4

CHANDIGARH: The wrestling fraternity has reacted sharply to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to drop the sport from the 2020 Olympic games. With the graph of Indian wrestling going upwards, the decision comes as a big jolt to young and budding wrestlers.

Mahabali Satpal, coach of both Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt, reacted strongly while speaking to the Times of India and said that it's the 'black day' for Indian wrestling.

"I cannot understand this decision by the IOC. Why have they done this to wrestling, which is one of the oldest sporting disciplines of the Olympic games? It's a black day for Indian as well as world wrestling," said an emotional Satpal.

He urged the sports ministry and the Government of India to take up this matter to the highest body and make sure that wrestling gets back its due place.

"The Government of India and the sports ministry has to protest this decision and take up this issue to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) so that wrestling gets back its place in the Olympics," added Satpal.

Citing that wrestling is a highly popular sport even amongst the western countries, Satpal said, "The TRP (Television Rating Points) of wrestling events at the London Olympics was quite high and it's a popular sport amongst the audience. Besides, powerful nations like Russia and USA also take part in the Olympics. So, its quite baffling why the IOC took this decision."

Meanwhile, double-medal winner Sushil feels for the young wrestlers, who he feels would now lack motivation to continue with the sport.

"It's very sad that wrestling had to bear the brunt. It's very unfortunate. My concern is for those young wrestlers who are preparing now and are ready to take up the sport in a professional way in the future. They will get disheartened and will lack motivation to continue with the sport," said Sushil.

Sushil added that the sport would now go down despite India winning two medals from the sport at the London Games.

"The sport was looking up in India. It had a bright future. Lot of youngsters were taking up the sport, especially after our success at the London Games. But now the blow will take the sport backward in India," added Sushil.

India has won 4 medals in Olympic games, the first being a bronze in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics by Kashabha Jadhav. Sushil then won back-to-back medals, first a bronze at the 2008 Beijing games and then following it with silver in the 2012 London Olympics. Yogeshwar also did the country proud by winning a bronze at the 2012 Olympics.